Letter: Handicapped permit alone doesn’t entitle use of spot

Saturday

Jul 26, 2014 at 10:02 PM

A few evenings ago while awaiting my dinner companions, I observed a vehicle being maneuvered into a handicapped space on the street right in front of the restaurant. Once parked, a woman stepped out and proceeded to walk alone, quite ably, into the restaurant. Out of curiosity, I looked inside the vehicle. No one else was in the vehicle, although there was a handicapped permit dangling from the rear view mirror.

I realize that some disabilities may not be apparent to others, and that she may have parked there properly. However, I remind her, and any others so inclined, that merely driving a vehicle with a handicapped permit is not sufficient to use these spaces — the person to whom the permit is issued must be present and exit and/or enter the vehicle at the time.

Not only is parking in such spaces without meeting that condition illegal, but it prevents someone else, who has a legitimate reason to use that spot, from parking there. Stop being selfish and find another space (which in this case would have required a walk of only one block to ample parking.)

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